Observers Shut out of “Spin-Off” Group Negotiations at Bonn Climate Talks

“The most important thing for people to understand is that this is an attempt by developed countries to shirk their obligations to not only their own citizens but to the rest of the world.”

Nathan Thanki is focal point for the youth constituency and is on the coordinating team of the global campaign to demand climate justice. Thanki was returning from Bonn, Germany from the last negotiating meeting of heads of state, ministers, and negotiators prior to COP21 in Paris in December. In Paris a binding agreement is expected.

Running into challenges though are those organizing the traditional march that takes place during the talks. Organizers are saying that the French police are pushing back against what is requested to be the march route.

We caught up to Thanki just before he caught his plane from the Cologne airport to go back home for more information and to get an update on the Bonn talks. He speaks to us via SKYPE.

Thanki told KGNU that at one point in the negotiations observer groups were shut out of the talks despite the objections of the G77 countries that comprise 134 developing countries. Japan suggested that they along with other unnamed countries objected to observers, thereby facilitating negotiating in private according to Thanki who explained, “Essentially what they’re doing is deregulating climate law.” The concern is that developing countries will be placed at greater financial risk than developed countries in addressing the cleaning up of the climate crisis.

Harjeet Singh of ActionAid gave his assessment of the Bonn talks at a press briefing:

“If your house goes up in flames, the first thing you do is put the fire out. Developing countries are already fighting the fires of climate change and so are demanding strategies and money to deal with its impact. For rich nations who have the money, technology and skills, the devastation of climate change is not a pressing issue. The current climate talks are reflecting the contrasting order of priority of issues between developed and developing nations. Rich nations need to recognise the crisis is here and now. The money to prepare for and deal with climate impacts must be at the centre of the climate deal in Paris.”

Harjeet Singh of ActionAid speaks at a press briefing at COP19 in Warsaw in 2013. photo: KGNU News.

“World leaders are starting agree on the ingredients that will make up a new treaty on climate change due this December. Those ingredients include a goal to decarbonize the economy well before the end of the century, a way to periodically ramp up climate action, a support package to meet that goal and a plan to increase the resilience of communities. This shared understanding bodes well for getting an agreement in Paris that has the potential to send a powerful signal to investors that the age of fossil fuels is over, and ushers in 100% renewable energy for all. The challenge will now be to make sure the ingredients selected are baked into a cake that’s robust enough to avoid the worst climate impacts.”

In the buildup to the end stage of the climate negotiations in Paris that begin next month, Denver joined with over 100 cities and communities across the country in a People’s Climate Movement National Day of Action on October 14th to demand action on climate change and to link global action to local action in Paris during the climate talks.